royal naval association - issue 17 1...armoured car squadron of the royal naval service. three of...

Issue 17 � 1

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The UVF sailors honoured by the Tzar

111 Royal Navy personnel from Northern Ireland were involved in what is perhaps the most RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

Brave Report

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bizarre linking of Irish politics with the international relations of the First World War.

Men from the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) armed with Canadian rifles which were most likely smuggled in avoiding the Royal Navy, served in the Russian empire in what has been dubbed “The Czar’s British Squadron” - an armoured car squadron of the Royal Naval Service. Three of the armoured cars in the squadron were christened ‘Ulster’, ‘Londonderry’ and ‘Mountjoy’.

This division made its own particular contribution to naval history. It produced its own newspaper - “The Archangel Herald”. Its officers claimed the record for singing “God save the King” at the most northerly location of the war on 12/12/1915. Many of the men were honoured with Russian awards - especially the Order of St. Stanislaus and St. George. Every officer and man was presented with a specially designed waistcoat by Her Highness Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein.

The Russian Armoured Car Division were sailors on dry land, fighting from armoured cars and trenches. They faced conditions ranging RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

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from the acutely freezing temperatures within the Arctic Circle, the extreme heat and dust of the desert terrain of Armenia, to the Flanders like mud of the Danube delta. They fought in Asia Minor, Rumania, Russia, and Austria, against Kurds, Turks, Bulgarians, Germans and Austrians.

They served with Cossacks and Siberian Army Regiments and rubbed shoulders with Poles, Serbs, Czecho Slovaks, Tartars, and many other ethnic groups which at that time were a part of the once vast but by then sadly depleted armed might of Czarist Russia.

The key men : Churchill, Carson and Locker-Lampson

In the negotiations which created this possibility three politicians were key - Winston Churchill, First Lord or the Admiralty, Sir Edward Carson, the Dublin born Ulster Unionist leader, and his cousin, Oliver Locker-Lampson, a Conservative Unionist Member of Parliament.

Locker-Lampson was a Cambridge educated lawyer. He was the Unionist Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire (East Anglia). In RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

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December 1914 he was commissioned into the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. This was largely based

��on an understanding with Winston Churchill,

that he would personally fund the establishment of an armoured car squadron for the Royal Naval Air Service’s Armoured Car Division. The

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

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purpose of the division was to rescue downed flyers from no-man’s land and to protect the relevant supply chains. Some authors state that the RNAS was in advance of the army in developing lightly armoured cars. Indeed for a period during the war the navy was in advance of the army in the development of tanks, often referred to as land ships.

The RNAS engaged in inter service rivalry on land as well as in the air, possessing for a time the UK's only mechanised land forces in the form of the RNAS Armoured Car Section made up of squadrons of Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars. Commanded by Commander Charles Sansom the section was originally equipped with unarmoured touring cars and intended to provide line of communications security and to pick up aircrew who had been forced to land in hostile territory. Samson saw the possibilities when he armed one vehicle with a Maxim Gun and ambushed a German car near Cassel on 04/09/1914. He then had a shipbuilders in Dunkirk add boilerplate to his Rolls Royce and Mercedes vehicles.The new armoured car squadrons were soon used to great effect forming part of Naval mechanised raiding columns against the Germans. By November RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

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1914 the Section had become the Royal Naval Armoured Car Division (RNACD) eventually expanding to 20 squadrons. As trench warfare developed, the armoured cars could no longer operate on the Western Front and were redeployed to other theatres including the Middle East, Romania and Russia.

To establish his squadron Locker Lampson turned to his cousin Sir Edward Carson. In the 555 men in the squadron, the majority from England were from Tyneside and Norfolk. 111 men of the squadron were from Northern Ireland.

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"The Czar's British Squadron" by Bryan Perrett and Anthony Lord -

Foreword by HRH The Duke ofEdinburgh

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72 of the North Irish personnel were drivers and mechanics and this expertise was reflected in the ranks granted - Petty Officer and Chief Petty Officer. There would appear to have been a read across in equality of rank to Engineering Artificers.

After training at Whale Island, Hampshire, and in north Norfolk near his family home - Newhaven Court, Cromer, Locker-Lampson's No. 15 Squadron was sent to France, and operated in the unoccupied portion of Belgium on attachment to the Belgian Army during much of 1915. 15 Squadron had 12 Lancasters and 3 Seabrook armoured lorries. By the end of 1915, with the development and static nature of trench warfare little scope remained for armoured cars on the Western Front and most of the RNAS's armoured car squadrons were disbanded by the Admiralty.

However, due to a concern for Russia’s capability, three squadrons of RNAS armoured cars were assembled and sent by ship to Murmansk as the Armoured Car Expeditionary Force (ACEF), also known as the Russian Armoured Car Division, with Locker-Lampson in command in order to show support for Britain's Russian ally. The ACEF operated with the RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

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Russian Army in several areas, including Galicia, Romania, and the Caucasus.

According to David Fletcher's “War Cars”, the Russian Armoured Car Division was formed in 1915 from 15 & 17 Squadrons, with 1 Rolls-Royce, 33 Lancasters, 3 to 5 Pierce-Arrows, later another Rolls-Royce was added and 9 Fords.

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Petty Officer Mechanic, John Armstrong, son of a Belfast linen merchant, returned from Australia to the family home at Clandeboye, Bangor in 1912. He joined the RNAS in March 1915 serving with No.15 Squadron in Belgium and France. His


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dairy provides the following outline of the Russian Armoured Car Division’s activities -

Aug/Sept 1916 Caucasian front (facing the Turks)

Nov/Dec 1916 Romanian front (facing the Bulgarians)

Dec 1916 Awarded Russian Medal of St George for gallantry during action in Topalul (Dobruja region of Romania). The medal was presented by General Sirelius in Hirsova (Romania) 8/12/1916.

Dec 1916/Jan 1917 Continuing service on Romanian front.

Feb/April 1917 Served on Russia/Romania border.

March 1917 outbreak of Russian Revolution.

June 1917 Served in Galicia (NE province of Austria-Hungary) in support of the Brusilov offensive (last major Russian action of WW1).

July 1917 Withdrawn to base in Proskurov (Russia)

Sept 1917 Returned to England


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After the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917, the ACEF was withdrawn from Russia.Many of the men from Locker Lampson's unit then transferred across to the Motor Machine Gun Corp on their return to UK and were sent out to Baku under General Dunsterville to defend the oilfields there. It became known as “Dunsterforce” and was under Army control, from Jan 1918. Dunsterforce had 24 Austins and 16 Ford vans. It served in Persia and Turkey, though without Commander Locker-Lampson, who in 1918 became the Ministry of Information's Russian Representative.

Locker-Lampson had become somewhat entangled in Russian politics. He said later that he had been asked to participate in the 1916 assassination of Rasputin, and that he had a secret plan to get Tsar Nicholas II out of Russia after his abdication in March 1917. It is also alleged that in September 1917 he was involved in Kornilov's attempted coup against the provisional government of Kerensky.

Men from Northern Ireland played a key role in the Russian Armoured Car Division. Lt-Commander Sir Walter Dorling Smiles DSO, was one of Locker-Lampson's key officers in Russia


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1916-18 and 2nd-in-command of Duncars in Dunsterforce in 1918. He was born in 1883 in Portavo, Donaghadee, Co. Down. His grandfather was Samuel Smiles, author of 'Self Help'. He was the Ulster Unionist MP for Co. Down from 1950 until his death. He died in the sinking of the Princess Victoria during the Great Storm of 31 January 1953.

His DSO citation referring to the events of 10/08/1917, states - “Lieut Walter Dorling Smiles, R.N.V.R. In recognition of his services with a Naval Armoured Car Squadron in France, Belgium, Persia and Roumania. He was wounded on the 28th November, 1916, in the Dobrudja. On coming out of hospital he volunteered to lead a flying squadron for special duty round Braila, and his gallantry on this occasion was the chief factor of success. On one occasion, when in action with a light armoured car, he got out twice to start it up under heavy fire. Being struck by a bullet he rolled into a ditch and remained there all day under fire, having sent back a message to the Russian Colonel in command asking him to allow none of his soldiers in any circumstances to risk their lives to save his car. He did not escape until night.”


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Local newspapers reported on the Russian Armoured Car Division’s actions. One commentator said the squadron's exploits were regularly reported in the North Down Spectator like a Boy's Own adventure serial.

The Ballymena Observer on June 1, 1917, reported - “Petty Officer E. J. Crawford, son of Mr. J. A. Crawford, Clough, who was with Commander Locker-Sampson MP, Armoured Car Division in Russia and Rumania is at present home on leave. He has made a good recovery from wounds he received in the Rumanian retreat in November last. Petty Officer Crawford was in charge of a machine gun and he received his wound when the car in which he was working was going to the rescue of a Russian car which had got stuck. He had just opened the door to throw out a rope when he was sniped in the arm and immediately afterwards a shell burst close to the car and he received severe injuries on the left shoulder and side. For meritorious work on this front he received the medal of St. George from the Russian Government."

A Northern Irish sailor holds the unfortunate status of being the first, member of the RACD, to lose his life in Russia. This occurred during the RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

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journey south in 1916 when, on 11th June, PO Joseph Donnelly of Alexandra Park Avenue, Belfast, was drowned during general bathing parade, taking place at a railway stop on the River Don at Kisetirinta (near Rostov).

In all, four Irishmen died in service with the unit and eight were wounded in action. Out of the unit as a whole there were 17 deaths and 7 reported `missing in action', later confirmed as Prisoners of War (of whom 3 died in captivity).

RUSSIAN ARMOURED CAR DIVISION

ROLL OF HONOURDONNELY, JosephRNAS. Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. F/9833. HMS President II. Died 11/06/1916. Age 28. Accidentally drowned in Russia. Son of Thomas and Margaret Donnelly, Alexander Park Avenue, Belfast. Formerly from Castledawson. Buried Rostov [Bratski] Cemetery. Haidar Pasha Memorial, Turkey

GRAHAM, Joseph JamesRNAS. Petty Officer Motor Mechanic. F/9892. Russian Armoured Car Brigade. Died 24/4/1917. Age 21. Order of St. George, 4th Class (Russia). Husband of Annie Maria Graham, Glenvarlock St., Castlereagh Rd., Belfast. French-Algerian Plot, Slobozia Military Cemetery


Issue 17 � 14GRAHAM, Skeffington T. C.RNAS. Petty Officer Motor Mechanic. F/2852. Russian Armoured Car Brigade. Died of dysentery in hospital whilst a PoW in Turkey 1/1/17. Age 32. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Graham, Dunmurry, and husband to Mary J. S. Graham, Alton Avenue, Toronto, Canada. Address also found as Upper Canning St., Belfast. Haidar Pasha Cemetery, Istanbul, Turkey. Haidar Pasha Cemetery was first established for Crimean war burials and was used during the First World War by the Turks for the burial of Commonwealth prisoners of war. After the Armistice, when Istanbul was occupied, further burials were made mainly from No 82 General Hospital and graves were brought in from other civil cemeteries in the area.

McFARLAND, JohnRNAS. Chief Petty Officer Mech III. F/2863. Russian Armoured Cars. DSM. Medals of 2nd, 3rd and 4th Classes of the Order of St. George (Russia). Died 01/07/1917. Age 36. Son of William and Jane McFarland; husband to Mary M. E. McFarland, Northumberland St., Belfast. Pozan Memorial, Poland

RUSSIAN ARMOURED CAR DIVISION

THEY SERVEDALLEN, JohnRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Chief Petty Officer. Harper Street, Belfast.

ALLEN, WilliamRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Grosvenor Road, Belfast


Issue 17 � 15ANDREWS, WilliamRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Lyndhurst Villas, Ballygomartin Rd., Belfast

ANDREWS, WRNR. Petty Officer. Russian award. Gresham St., Belfast

ARMSTRONG, ArthurRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Kendal Street, Belfast

ARMSTRONG, JohnRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. John was born on 25/01/1886 to father, William Armstrong (a linen merchant trading as Wm. Armstrong & Son, Upper Queen Street, Belfast) and mother Elizabeth. One of nine children - seven sisters and one brother - at Ballysallagh House, Clandeboye, Bangor, Co Down. John worked with his father in the family linen business as a salesman before travelling to Australia in 1910 where he worked on McConnells Cattle Station in Queensland. John returned home to Bangor in 1912 and joined the Royal Naval Air Service in March 1915 serving with No. 15 Squadron in Belgium and France before going to Russia. John did not join Dunsterforce as his only brother, Billy (seven years younger than John) had just been killed on 27/12/1917 (age 24) while serving with the 14th Bn Black Watch in Jerusalem. Son of William Armstrong, Ballysallagh House, Clandeboye, Co. Down.

ARTHUR, HughRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division Petty Officer. Beechfield Street, Belfast


Issue 17 � 16ASH, JosephRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. PO. Northumberland Street, Belfast

BEATTY, George RobertRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. 21 University Street, Belfast

BELLIS, Samuel ArnottRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Daheim, Ballymena

BELLIS, Samuel ArnottRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Son of Samuel Arrott and Jane Swiney Bellis. Born 21/3/1880, Tullyaighnish Manse, Ramelton, Co. Donegal. Entered Royal School Dungannon 1892. Died September 1942, Leicester. In 1918 resided at Waveney Cottages, Ballymena. West Church Ballymena - PCI RH

BENSON, Edward WhiteRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Ballymoney Rectory, Co Antrim

BLAIR, Arthur Angus McDonaldRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Allworthy Ave, Antrim Rd, Belfast

BOYD, Henry StanleyRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Greenwood, Lisburn

BRENNAN, PatrickRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. PO.


Issue 17 � 17BROWNLEE, Lawson McKitterick RNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Cross of St.George. Russian Armoured Car Division. Dunster Force. Wounded. Percy Street, Belfast. Agnes Street - Presbyterian Church

BRYANS, S ARN Gunner. Russian award. The Cottages, Antrim

BRYARS, David LivingstoneRNAS. Petty Officer. MiD August 1917. Russian Armoured Car Division. Cromwell Rd, Belfast. Son of Thomas and Eliza Ann Bryars, Irish Street, Dungannon. Father was a grocer and auctioneer. Royal School Dungannon 1905-08. Emigrated to USA in 1910. Occupation motor car driver.

CAMERON, JosephRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Main Street, Gilford

CARSON, JohnRN. WO. Russian award. Omeath St., Belfast

CHAMBERS, Henry DouglasRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Clifton Terrace, Coleraine

CLARKE, CharlesRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Princess Street, Portrush

CLEGG, RichardRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Bow St, Donaghadee


Issue 17 � 18COWAN, MatthewRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Ballycarry Street, Belfast

CRAWFORD, Edward JamesRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Medal of St George. Medical student QUB. Wounded in East Russia.

"Petty Officer E. J. Crawford, son of Mr. J. A. Crawford, Clough, who was with Commander Locker-Sampson MP, Armoured Car Division in Russia and Rumania is at present home on leave. He has made a good recovery from wounds he received in the Rumanian retreat in November last. Petty Officer Crawford was in charge of a machine gun and he received his wound when the car in which he was working was going to the rescue of a Russian car which had got stuck. He had just opened the door to throw out a rope when he was sniped in the arm and immediately afterwards a shell burst close to the car and he received severe injuries on the left shoulder and side. For meritorious work on this front he received the medal of St. George from the Russian Government." Ballymena Observer, 01/06/1917. Cloughgalldarragh, Clough, Ballymena. CPA Magazine 1917.

CREIGHTON, William DavidRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Rosebank, Whitehead

CUNNINGHAM, JohnRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Hilltop, King St, Newcastle.


Issue 17 � 19DAVIDSON, William FosterRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Victoria Rd, Bangor

DEAN, SamuelRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. PO. Shandon Street, Belfast

DEMPSTER, RobertRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Russian award. Paxton Street, Belfast

DICKIE, RobertRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Son of Mr RJ Dickey, Kilcreen House, Killagan, Co Antrim. Ballymena Academy.

DOAK, RobertRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Hallidays Rd, Belfast

DONNELLY, JosephRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Alexandra Park Ave, Belfast

DOWNS, Robert JohnRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. PO. Brooklands Street, Belfast

DYSART, John OliverRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Disraeli Street, Belfast


Issue 17 � 20ERVINE, George GrayRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Son of William James and Susan Ervine, Magdala St., Belfast. Crescent - PCI RH

FERGUSON, Joseph HenryRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. North Parade, Belfast

FERGUSON, Samuel JamesRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Glenside, Ballyregan, Dundonald,

GILLESPIE, Frederick JamesRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Belmont Rd, Belfast

GRAHAM, AlexanderRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Russian award. Wounded. Glenmachan Cottage, Belmont, Belfast

GRAHAM, Joseph JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. George St, Portadown

GRAHAM, NathanielRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Russian Award. Wounded. Glenmachan, Belmont, Belfast.

GRAHAM, SkeffingtonRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Upper Canning St, Belfast


Issue 17 � 21GRAHAM, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Reid St, Cregagh Rd, Belfast

GRAHAM, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Glenmachan, Belmont, Belfast

HARRIS, Charles Cunyngham EcclesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Fitzroy Ave, Belfast

HARRISON, JohnRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Ashville, Skegoniel Ave, Belfast

HARVEY, JamesRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Upper Frank Street, Belfast.

HENDERSON, WilliamRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Clonlee, Bloomfield, Belfast

IRVINE, IsaacRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Dundela Street, Belfast

JEFFREY, GeorgeRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division.( Dunster Force). Brookland St, Belfast


Issue 17 � 22JOHNSTON, William HenryRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Farmyard, Norwood Tower, Strandtown

KENNEDY, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Little Grosvenor St, Belfast

LARMOUR, JosephRNAS. Petty Officer M. Russian Armoured Car Division. Roseberry Rd, Belfast

LAWTHER, DavidRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Canagullin. Killinchy - PCI RHLINDON, Robert JohnRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Gamble Street, Belfast

LLOYD, EdwardRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Upper Townshend Rd, Belfast

MacFARLANE, JRNAS. Chief Petty Officer. Russian award. Langford St., Belfast

MACK, ChrisRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Walnut St, Donegal Park, Belfast

MACKLYN, Walter EdmundRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Moore St, BelfastRN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

Issue 17 � 23MARSHALL, StanleyRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Princetown Villas, Bangor. Trinity - PCI RH

MacDONAGH, Brederick MearsRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Ruby Lodge, Bangor

MacDONALD, GeorgeRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Order of St. George. Deramore Avenue, Belfast. Cooke Centenary - PCI RH

MacDOWELL, JamesRNAS. Lieutenant. Russian Armoured Car Division. Russia and Rumania in 1916. James MacDowell papers PRONI T3896. Bangor

MacFARLANE, JohnRNAS. Chief Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Lanford Street, Belfast

McALPINE, Robert AlexanderRNAS. Chief Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division HQ. Church Street, Bangor

McCAUSLAND, Samuel OsborneRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Cherry Vale, Ravenhill Rd, Belfast.

McCAUSLAND, SamuelRNAS. Cadet. Russian Medal. Cherryvale, Belfast. Newtownbreda - PCI RH


Issue 17 � 24McCLELLAND, Thomas LyleRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Fitzwilliam Street, Belfast

McCONNELL, EdwardRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division.Valentine Street, Belfast

McCREADIE, RobertRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Springfield Rd, Bangor. Hamilton Road - PCI RH

McCULLOUGH, Frederick JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Belgravia, Belfast.

McCULLOUGH, Frederick JamesRNAS/RAF. Frederick James McCullough’s name appears on the Fitzroy Avenue Presbyterian Church War Memorial plaque (although the surname is spelt McCullogh) and in the PCI Roll of Honour for the Fitzroy Avenue congregation. After RBAI, Frederick McCullough studied civil engineering at Queen's University Belfast, where he gained military and leadership training as a member of the Officers’ Training Corps.

On 15/11/1915, he was appointed to the Royal Naval Air Service (Russian Armoured Car Division) as a Petty Officer. He served in Russia under Commander Locker-Lampson before returning home to receive a commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery on 13th October 1916. He served with the Brigade Head Quarter's staff in France and was subsequently


Issue 17 � 25transferred to the 53rd Squadron Royal Flying Corps, as Flying Officer (Observer) on 08/10/1917.

He was killed in action on 08/11/1917. A report was received from the officer commanding the 10th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment stating that on 15th November: "when in the lines my unit found the bodies of two British airmen in "no-man's land", they were recovered and buried in the Northern end of Hollebeke Church. A cheque-book and letters were found on one of the bodies which showed it to be that of 2nd Lt L W Middleton RFC". This officer was reported missing when flying with Frederick James McCullough, so it was accepted that the other body was his. Frederick James McCullough was re-interred in Voormezeele Cemetery in Flanders, Belgium. RBAI WM, QUB WM. QUB OTC RH. Fitzroy - PCI RH

McCULLOUGH, John OliverRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Abbey Street, Bangor

McDONALD, GeorgeRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Station Rd, Larne, Co Antrim

McDOWELL, RobertRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Bangor. Dairy at PRONI. Entry for Monday 18 December 1916 - “Arrived at Tulcea [Rumania] about 12 noon where we met the Scottish Women’s Hospital. Met Mrs Maguire of Bangor. Introduced myself. Told her the difficulty we had with the mails both sending and receiving. She said the hospital people had the same difficulty. Funny thing I met a Mrs Faithful who told me she had a brother in the 1st Royal Irish Regiment at Salonika, Harold’s regiment.”RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

Issue 17 � 26McFERRAN, John MalachyRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Euston Street, Belfast

McGAFFIN, John AlexanderRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Dehli Street, Ormeau Rd, Belfast

McGIMPSEY, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Sunnyside, Ballyholme, Bangor

McGLADRIGAN, John JosephRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Washington Street, Belfast

McKEE, William JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Springfield Rd, Bangor

McKEOWN, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Masonic Lodge. Mill Street, Portaferry

McQUOID, JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Eversleigh Street. Castlereagh - PCI RH

METCALF, JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Derwent St, Belfast

MILLAR, John Herbert WilsonRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Enlisted 16/11/1915. Son of late Thomas Millar & Mary Wilson, Inchaleen, RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

Issue 17 � 27Garvagh. Married and lived in Portrush. Died of illness 30/11/1919. Aged 31. Ballywillan Old Cemetery. Portrush Presbyterian Church WM

MILNE, GeorgeRNAS. POM. Russian Armoured Car Division. Beatrice Rd, Bangor

MITCHELL, John HowardRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. StrangmoreTerr., Crumlin Rd., Belfast

MURRAY, JamesRNAS. Chief Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Glenside. First Holywood - PCI RH

NESBITT, SamuelRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Brookmount Street, Belfast

NORTH, William WesleyRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Woodstock Road, Belfast

NUMMIE, DavidRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. York Road, Belfast

ORR, CharlesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Abbey Street, Bangor


Issue 17 � 28PINKERTON, John DickRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Served in Russia and Rumania 1916 - 17. Pinkerton Papers PRONI D3754 include a typescript memoir. Later studied at North Western University, Evanston, Illinois, where he qualified as a dentist and practised in New Zealand. Was imprisoned by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore. memoir “From Ice to Rice”. Ballaghmore, Ballymoney

RICHARDSON, Henry F ERNAS. Chief Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Winnebah, Donaghadee

RITCHIE, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Quay Place, Bangor

ROBERTSON, EdwardRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Russian award. Killowen Street, Belfast

ROBINSON, PatrickRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Woodstock Road, Belfast

RUSSELL, DavidRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division, Ballymaghee, Bangor

SCOTT, J JRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Isoline Street, Belfast. McQuiston Memorial - PCI RH

SEYERS, William CharlesRNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Abbey Street, BangorRN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance

Issue 17 � 29SMILES, Walter RNVR. RND Armoured Car Squadron. Lieutnant Commander. DSO. Russia and Rumania 1916 - 1918.

DSO citation - 10/08/1917 “Lieut Walter Dorling Smiles, R.N.V.R. In recognition of his services with a Naval Armoured Car Squadron in France, Belgium, Persia and Roumania. He was wounded on the 28th November, 1916, in the Dobrudja. On coming out of hospital he volunteered to lead a flying squadron for special duty round Braila, and his gallantry on this occasion was the chief factor of success. On one occasion, when in action with a light armoured car, he got out twice to start it up under heavy fire. Being struck by a bullet he rolled into a ditch and remained there all day under fire, having sent back a message to the Russian Colonel in command asking him to allow none of his soldiers in any circumstances to risk their lives to save his car. He did not escape until night.”

Born 08/11/1883. Son of William Holmes Smiles, director of Belfast Ropeworks. In the 1920’s he managed a tea estate in Assam, became involved in local government, and was a member of the Assam Legislative Council.

He was Conservative Member of Parliament for Backburn from 1931 to 1945. He was re-elected in 1935 but stood for Down in Northern Ireland at the 1945 Westminster election as a Unionist. The two-seat constituency was split in 1950 into North Down and South Down. He won North Down that year and remained its MP until his death 31/01/1953. He lost his life in the sinking of the MV Princess Victoria off Larne Lough, in the Great Storm. He was succeeded by his daughter, Patricia Ford. He is the great-grandfather of explorer, and Hon. Commodore RNR, Bear Grylls. Westbank, Strandtown, Belfast. Smiles papers PRONI D3437.


Issue 17 � 30SMYTH, JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Elmgrove Terrace, Belfast. Eglinton Street - PCI RH

STANFIELD, JamesRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Donegall Pass, Belfast

STOREY, Robert James CraigRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Main Street, Randalstown

SUNNERTON, JosephRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Chatsworth Street, Belfast

SWAN, RobertRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Halcombe Street, Belfast

SWAN, William DouglasRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Halcombe Street, Belfast

THOMPSON, ArthurRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Portallo Street, Cregagh Rd, Belfast.

THOMPSON, BenjaminRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Orient Gardens, Belfast


Issue 17 � 31THOMPSON, RobertRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. 45 Westmoreland Street, Belfast

TITTERINGTON, Albert EdwardRNAS. Chief Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Windsor Gardens, University Rd, Belfast

TOTTON, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Blyth Street, Belfast

USHER, WilliamRNAS. Petty Officer. Russian Armoured Car Division. Ballywater Park, Ballywalter

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Issue 17 � 32Brave Report is collated and published by The Very Rev. Dr Houston McKelvey, OBE QVRM TD.

Dr McKelvey served as chaplain for 29 years with 102/105 (Ulster & Scottish) Regiment, Royal Artillery TA; for 20 years as Chaplain to the RBL - Northern Ireland Area, and for a period as chaplain to the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association. He was involved in the life of HMS Caroline and HMS Hibernia.He was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to the RNR. He is a Past President of QUB Combined Services Club.


royal naval association - issue 17 1...armoured car squadron of the royal naval service. three of...

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